Meaning & use
shooting from the hip
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Meanings
phraseidiominformaldisapproving
Acting or speaking quickly and without careful thought, often based on instinct rather than planning.
Grammar: Used as an adverbial phrase or after the verb 'be'. It does not take an object.
Patterns
- be shooting from the hip
- shoot from the hip
The manager was shooting from the hip when he promised a raise to everyone without checking the budget.
Instead of shooting from the hip, take a moment to consider the consequences of your words.
Her answer seemed like shooting from the hip, but it turned out to be surprisingly accurate.
phraseidiomsport
In basketball, taking a shot quickly without carefully aiming or setting up properly.
Grammar: Used literally in sports contexts. Often followed by 'a shot' or 'the ball'.
Patterns
- shoot from the hip
He was shooting from the hip all game and missed most of his attempts.
The coach told him to stop shooting from the hip and to pass the ball more.
Common combinations
- shoot from the hip
- Don't shoot from the hip; think before you speak.
- be shooting from the hip
- She was shooting from the hip during the interview and said some things she later regretted.
- a hip-shot remark
- His hip-shot remark offended several people at the meeting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- off the cuff
- Means speaking without preparation, but it is neutral and does not necessarily imply carelessness.
- impulsively
- Focuses on acting on a sudden urge; it does not carry the idea of aiming or shooting.
- spontaneously
- Suggests acting naturally and without planning, often in a positive way, unlike this phrase which is usually critical.
Opposites
Commonly confused: shooting from the hip or shooting from the lip?
shooting from the hip vs shooting from the lip
A rare variant that means speaking without thinking. 'Shooting from the hip' is the standard form and can refer to actions as well as words.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'shooting from the hip' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means acting or speaking quickly without careful thought. Option 1 fits because it describes a quick answer without checking facts. The other options describe careful, planned actions, which is the opposite of the idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shooting from the hip”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.